For many people finding "life-work balance" is an ongoing challenge. Even though there are tons of books, blog posts, studies, and many "gurus" who teach how to find "work-life balance", achieving it can often feel like an impossible goal, especially for people who strive to give everything 100% ( like most ExtraHyperActive folks are ).

Last year, I made a decision to focus more on business, and hence, my "adventure time" in 2016 was very minimum. Yet, it was another year when I checked off a few goals off my Adventure Bucket List :

"My goal for 2016 is to accomplish my goals from 2015...which I should have completed in 2014...because I planned them in 2013.

The past few years working on my Bucket List taught me a lot about goal setting.

First, I realized that not all goals are created equal. Some are more realistic and achievable than others, some take more time, planning, and execution , and some goals simply require more money that you expected. Second, I learned that there were no "non-achievable" goals. There are goals that simply don't inspire. And third, no matter what, sooner or later, one way or another, ALL DREAMS COME TRUE !

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hope.” - Andrew Carnegie

Feeling good about the future is important for our happiness. We all need goals to motivate us and these need to be challenging enough to excite us, but also achievable. If we try to attempt the impossible this brings unnecessary stress. Choosing ambitious but realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we achieve them.

If you are still not convinced about the power of goal setting, and think that it's all big hype, let this blog ( and this post in particular ) be the proof you're looking for.

As you know me, I can't stress enough the importance of writing your goals down... or the least, having clear, measurable, and achievable goals. I think goal setting is the first, and THE MOST IMPORTANT step on your way to personal growth and self improvement. They give you a clear target to aim for, and help keep motivation high by providing an objective way to measure progress.

Don't get it wrong ! There are many types of goals ( one research review came up with a list of 135 (!) different kinds of goals that people tend to pursue ). But since the main topics of this blog are adventure travel, fitness, and the outdoors, I will focus mostly on these ones.

So, without further ado, here is my (short ) list of goals for 2014:

Business Goals

1 - The most important goal I've set for myself this year is to make my blog ( and everything else I do online ) "career/full time job/". Since I started this blog almost 4 years ago, it's become a huge part of my life. I'm very passionate about it, and I love what I do !

2 - Since I've already been working ( on/off ) online full time for the past 2 years, I'd love to share my knowledge and experience to help people journey their adventures to share their stoke and excitement with friends and family ( while making extra money on the side to get that new outdoor gear or extra cash for that dream trip ).

3 - I want to create XHyperActive brand, something like Red Bull ( mines poisonous drinks, and low-paid sponsored adrenaline junkies ). Instead, I want to focus on people just like you and me, I'd say "Regular Joe's" - somebody who wants to live a happy, healthy and adventurous life full of great memories and memorable evens ! Somebody who is not afraid to get out of their comfort zone to pursue their goals, and to take necessary steps to accomplish their Bucket List adventures.

4 - I realize that many people who would love to get into fitness and outdoors, simply don't know where to start. That's why I'd like to take XHyperActive brand offline to go back to training people, and personally encourage, motivate and guide ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Adventurous Goals

- Do more kiteboarding ( and may be teach it too )
- Make soul surfing/SUP surfing a monthly event ( to help me battle my ADD and find more peace )
- Introduce my son to surfing... Go to Westport and California !
- Get my next scuba diving certificate ( and eventually become Dive Master )
- Take paragliding classes ( to learn something new, and see if it's something I can do long term )
- Do my first static skydiving jump ( tandem jump was fun, but solo should be awesome !!! )
- Take a sailing class ( and who knows, may be buy my first boat ! )
- Go bow hunting/spearfishing/fly-fishing ( and learn how to cook my kill/catch )
- Go skiing/snowshoeing/snow camping to Goldmyer Hot Springs this winter
- XC ( cross country/ski touring ) hut-to-hut in Mt Rainier
- (Finely ) go skiing Mt Adams
- Climbing Mt Baker/Olympus/Rainier ( again )
- Now that I dove with sharks in Florida's Aquarium, I want to do that again in our state
- Kayak and bike touring/camping has been on my list for the past few years ( just need to find 4-5 days to do that, and may be somebody to go with )
- Canyoneering is gaining more popularity in WA... I had fun canyoneering in Utah, and hope our state can offer places as breathtaking as the ones in Moab
- Haven't been climbing for a while... There a still a bunch of epic places I haven't climbed... The two I really want to do are : Leavenworth, Mt Erie, and Smith Rock ( in Oregon ).
- Since I sold my motorcycle, I've been feeling really sad :( Hope this spring to get into dirt biking, and buy a bike ( either dirt, street ot dual sport ).
- Windsurfing my SUP/paddleboard was fun, but would love to try something more challenging ! Hood River offers both amazing kiteboarding and windsurfing opportunities. Learning water start and switching to shorter/faster boards will make it more fun !
- My first sailing experience was a complete disaster ! If you're ever offered a cheap "sailing class" by Seattle Mountaineers/Seattle Singles Yacht Club - run ! It's not worth your money and time. So, this year, I hope to find a reputable sailing club to actually learn how to sail.
- I also want to introduce my son to sailing, and take him sailing on one of those historic tall ships.
- Bungee jumping in WA
- Balloon flying, and fat biking in Winthrop !
- Backpacking Olympic Coast/ Wonderland Trail/ Go back to the Enchantments
- Visit San Juan Islands !!! Can't believe I can't make it there 3 years in a row !!!

Adventure Travel ( outside WA )

- Visit Colorado !!! Would love to go skiing and try speed riding in Aspen !
- Neighboring Oregon has been inviting me for a long time to check out its adventures ! Visiting/xc skiing Crater Lake; skiing, ski-biking, airboarding at Hoodoo ski area; dirt biking/sandboarding Oregon's dunes; chilling in one of many famous Oregon's hot springs are just a few things I want to do there.
- Introduce my son to the beauty of travel ! First stop - California ! then...
- Not sure about border crossing laws yet, but would love to take him to Whistler, BC !
- The BIGGEST trip I'm planning this year is visiting Russia, and hope to explore Europe on the way there !

What are your goals for 2014 ? Why are they important to you ? Are they clear, exciting, measurable achievable ?

I wish you achieve every goal that you set up for yourself this year, and hope you'll share it with us !!! And remember :

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hope.” - Andrew Carnegie

How was your 2013 ? What kind of memories have you created for yourself ? What have you achieved ?

Hope 2013 was better for you than it was for me... Since I started this blog, 2013 was the most uneventful year so far, and, as you know, I blame myself for not writing my goals down and not planning the year ahead.

But I can't complain that it was that bad. I had a few great moments, like:

But one thing that made 2013 great and memorable for me was the time I spent with my son ! We had a few great father/son moments :

- we celebrated his 6th birthday in our favorite cabin in Leavenworth
- got to go flightseeing over our beautiful Seattle
- picked up a new sport ( archery )
- tried skimboarding at a popular skimboarding beach in WA
- went camping, hiking and caving at Mt St Helens
- hiked Point Defiance in Tacoma
- switched to a BMX bike and electric scooter
- chilled ( a lot ! ) at a local waterpark during summer

So looking back, I can honestly say : "I'm blessed, and 2013 wasn't that bad" :)

The end of the year is my favorite time ! It's time to look back and reflect on your goals and achievements, and time to make new exciting plans for the upcoming year !

As you remember, last year I started using a new ( and extremely popular by now ) social site Pinterest. As I mentioned in my last year's post, "My Bucket List on Pinterest" this web site helped me keep visual focus on my goals, dreams, and aspirations.

The more clearly you are able to visualize, the faster you will be able to get your goals achieved. If you don't believe in goal setting and visualization, let my Bucket List on Pinterest be a living proof that whatever you can imagine, can be real !

Let's look at some goals/dreams/plans I had a year ago, and see how I made it happen :

I've been dreaming about taking a cross country road trip for that past 5 years (!!!).
But a goal without a plan is just a wish. All I had to do was to start visualizing it ! I created a Pinterest board " Road Trip USA ", and later this year, not only did I travel around Southwest, I drove Seattle-Florida-Seattle !

Moab, Utah is considered to be the birthplace of mountain biking, and since the first time I saw a picture of a mountain biker on the rim of Canyonlands National Park, I knew I had to be there ! Not only did I visit two of the most beautiful and unique National Parks in US ( Canyonlands and Arches ), I got to go mountain biking on the iconic Slickrock Trail !

Honestly, this is one of my dreams I thought I wouldn't cross off my Bucket List in a long time ! :)

A few months before my Southwest road trip, I wrote a short post about tandem BASE jumping...wrote and forgot about it...
It wasn't until I was in Moab that I realized, "oh my God, I'm in Moab, one of the places I wrote about BASE jumping !!! I can totally do it right now !!!"
Long story short, here I am , standing with Mario Richards and his beautiful wife Steph Devis ( my " I want-a-girlfriend-like-this" idol :)) getting ready for my first BASE jump

I've been wanting to try canyoneering for a long time, but it wasn't until I was in Utah, that I got to try it. And you know what ? It's true what they say : "Good things come to those who wait". It was an amazing experience !

Here is another weird thing about goal setting : you have to be flexible with your plans/goals.
Sometimes, what you get is not what you originally planned/hoped for. This is what happened to me when I found myself in Grand Canyon NP.

It was the middle of the summer, the busiest tourist season, and I just visited Canyonlands/Arches NP's ( which, let's agree, are mini versions of GC :)).
Hiking rim-to-rim ( or even going to the bottom of the canyon ) wasn't something I was ready to die for.

Does it count as "goal achieved" ? I don't know... what matters is that I had a great time, and I know I'll be back for more adventures in Grand Canyon ( multi day rafting trip, may be ? )

This "achieved goal" actually reminds me that some of our goals can be plain disappointing.
When goals turn into expectations, disappointment often results because real life gets in the way. Sometimes, what you see, is not necessary what you'll get...

But no matter what, a few things I've learned over the past few years :

“Everything you can imagine is real.” ~ Pablo Picasso
"If you can dream it, you can do it" ~ Walt Disney
"Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe, that you have received it, and it will be yours." -Mark 11:24

2010 was the first year I started my own "Bucket List", and I honestly believe that without it I wouldn't be able to achieve any of my goals. Writing down my goals AND making them public made me feel accountable and motivated.

One of my goals was to design a blog that would serve as the web's only go-to resource for action sports and adventure travel with emphasis on Washington state.
Just a few months into 2011, the partnership with Unreasonable Adventures made it possible to search and book adventure trips not only in our state but all around the world.

But I never really thought about what kind of people were visiting my blog...That made me think about who I really was, and what made me pursue my goals.

Being diagnosed with ADD/bipolar helped me realize that this blog was my chance to help people deal with these "issues" the way that worked for me - through healthy, adventurous and motivated living.

I also wanted to show that Hyper Activity was common for not just people with ADD/ADHD/Bipolar

Many of us crave stimulation just to feel alive. Many of us want to travel the world, make more money, be happier, healthier...But not many people know where to start, where to look, what/how to do...

“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.”

Albert Einstein

"Lead By Example" has been my mantra for many years. Therefor, here are 6 things that I can cross off my Bucket List at the end of this year :

Many of my readers think that this blog is just about outdoor activities and adventures. In reality, the main idea behind this blog is to show people that if you really want to try something, no matter how hard, "extreme", impossible it might be, if you make it your goal, you WILL achieve it.

And this blog is living proof. Just look at my 2010 Bucket List. This year was tough for many of us, and I'm not an exception. Though, I didn't come even close to achieving all of my goals, I can cross off my list a few of them :

I tried whitewater kayaking and parasailing, went surfing at Westport. I haven't tried kitesurfing/boarding, but at least bought all the gear for the next summer. I haven't tried all the activities I planned, but "discovered" for myself a few new ones like longboarding and mountain boarding, sea kayaking, ice climbing, and windsurfing.

Traveling remains one of my biggest dreams. Which of us haven't dreamt about traveling around the world ? I try to keep it more realistic, and hope to travel more at least around our state and US.

Here I'd like to quote Donald Trump who says : " If you are going to think, you might as well think BIG ".

So, for 2011, on top of the goals and dreams that I had for this year, I THINK/PLAN TO :

My BIGGEST DREAM/GOAL/PLAN is to introduce "regular folks " to activities that have been labeled as "extreme", and show them that you don't have to be a daredevil in great fitness shape to have unforgettable experiences and tons of fun !

With the new year in full gear, it’s not only a time of reflection but a time to look forward and plan for the coming year. I always plan more and bigger trips than I can pull off. But the act of researching and setting the goal is almost as fun as acting on it. So, without further ado, here are just a few ( the full list is too long ) of my 2010 adventure "goals" :

U.S Travel :
- next new year celebration at the Times Square in NY
- Mardi Gras in New Orleans ( I guess I still have a couple years to "get wild ")
- Grand Canyon ( hike rim-to-rim)
- Hawaii ( do absolutely nothing ! just relax ! who am I kidding ? Hiking a volcano, surfing/SUPing on Oahu's North Shore )
- Alaska ( wow ! where do I start ? Do...everything ! Ultimately , climb Mount McKinley )

So, what do you think ? Very cliche' ? Nothing original ?

What about you? What are your goals? Whatever they are, don’t forget to make them big. You’ll never reach a goal if you don’t set it. Even if it doesn’t come to fruition in 2010, you’ll have the planning done and be ready to pounce when the time is right.